When sitting at a desk or table reading a book it is sometimes more comfortable and convenient to have the book resting at angle to the surface of the desk or table than have it lying flat. However, keeping the book at this angle can become tiring to the hands, or, if the reader has arthritis, it can be difficult at best and painful at worst.
For this reason the prior art has developed many book holders designed to hold or prop a book at an angle on a desk or table. Most of these holders comprise some type of collapsible frame made of rigid members hinged together. Such a frame, while effective for its intended purpose, is often either sturdy and therefore heavy and cumbersome to pack and carry, or lightweight and therefore subject to being bent or distorted. Further, such a holder is usually designed to hold/prop a book at only one angle, and can usually accommodate only a limited range of sizes of books.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a book prop which avoids the problems of the prior art collapsible fame book props.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a book prop which occupies a small volume when not in use.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide such a book prop which has storage space within it for small reading/writing materials, craft supplies, etc.
It is a yet further object of the present invention to provide such a book prop which will accommodate a wide range of sizes and weights of books or other reading materials.
Briefly, the present invention is a multi-purpose book prop comprising a lidded hollow rear member with end drawers, a front member, and a flexible web joining the two. Both front and rear members are of square or rectangular cross-section, with the front member being of a smaller cross-section than the rear member. Access to the drawers can be achieved either by raising the lids or by sliding the drawers out. The flexible web is attached to three sides of the rear member and the bottom of the front member. When used to support a book the book prop is oriented so that the flexible web slopes down to the front member; the bottom edge of the book abuts the rear of the front member and the book rests against the top of the rear member at a comfortable reading angle. Rolling the front member one or more turns toward the rear member allows the reading matter to sit at an even higher angle. Raising and securing the lids of the rear member will support the reading matter at its highest angle.